Dear Michael - I think someone in this group built up some theory on what postal mail meant to the Victorians (British). Uh this is the only ref I can find to Victorians: Standage, T. (1998). The Victorian Internet : the remarkable story of the telegraph and the nineteenth century's on-line pioneers. New York, Walker and Co. But from the Royal Mail you could pull it up to the 21st C. America. Maybe there's a fun history out there on Hallmark cards???? Cheers, Denise Denise N. Rall, PhD candidate, School of Environ. Science, Southern Cross University, Lismore NSW 2480 Sustainable Forestry Mentoring Coordinator & Internet Researcher Room T2.12, +61 (0)2 6620 3577 Tuesdays or Mobile 0438 233 344 http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/rsm/staff/pages/drall/index.html